Sub-tropical wildlife moving higher up

Of late, forestry officials in northern protected areas in Bhutan are increasingly sighting sub-tropical wildlife at unusual habitats which, they claim, is a result of climate change.

Recently, foresters in Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) sighted the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis), a sub-tropical bird species at an altitude of 4,538m. Officials say the migration of the bird, which is better acclimatized to sub-tropical ecologies, to cold regions, is owing to causes of climate change.

The foresters sited the bird was sited at a place called Wangyela in Trashiyangtse on 15th June while returning from cordyceps patrolling. The same bird was also spotted next day while it was feeding on the marshy land in the same area by Sonam Choidup and Tshering Chophel, foresters at BWS.

Similarly, among many of such instances, in November, 2010, a family of Black-necked Cranes was also seen in Chuzeygang, Gelephu from their usual roosting grounds in high altitude areas. In early 2012, a transient solitary elephant was also seen at a height of 3,419m on Showgayla ridge in Chukha.